February Photo Challenge!

Ok. 

Prepare to not be impressed.

I had such high hopes of going out and taking super cool pictures. 

I pictured myself having free time to walk around and snap at whatever caught my fancy. 

But alas, time is never on my side, I swear it!

Do you want to see some great pictures though? 

Head over to my friend Sarah's blog! 

She is awesome and we are doing this photo challenge together - it's really fun!

Her website can be found here. 

I'll start with my favorite ones and work my way down. (They definitely get worse as you go down - just a warning!)

Category: Something dangerous

Look at those talons! I love eagles! Little did I know how hard it was going to be to take a picture of one though! They are easily spooked and I had to lean out the truck for this one with Mark blocking traffic on our way to church. I have several great photos of their backsides though as they are flying away from me.

Category: Something ending in -ing

I liked the pattern on the wings of this one so I chose it for my -ing picture. Or I guess I could have used the word flying also!

Category: Something Striped

This is a photo of the hotel I stayed at while attending my technology training in Portland. It is close to IKEA and everything was decorated in stripes. I tried to take some photos inside to show all the stripes everywhere but I didn't like any of them so I went with this outside one instead.

Category: A Road Sign

I looked and looked and looked for a road sign that I liked. I couldn't find one anywhere! Or when I did (in Portland) I didn't have my camera with me. Such is my luck! The other day after our terrible windstorm, we were driving down to the property to see if there was any damage and I saw this sign. The wind had blown it down! (Again, Mark blocked traffic so I could snap a photo).

Category: Numbers

Ok. I already know this one is lame but let me explain! This category stumped me even more than the last one. I had originally thought "numbers" because of my cemetery shoot for my photography class but then I didn't want to reuse pictures I had already taken. So then I was in the dilemma of finding some other cool numbers. Before I knew it, my time was up and I had to take some kind of picture. I was cooking dinner and saw these two papers on the fridge and decided to just bite the bullet and snap it. 

The top paper is the application for Mark and I's first race - this Saturday. We have been working hard (and at times hardly working) trying to run at least 3 times weekly. We have a whole poster dedicated to our monthly goals, upcoming races we want to do, and rewards if we meet our monthly goals.

The second paper is Caleb's reading goal for the rest of the school year. As a family we went out for hot chocolate after Mark got off work at 8 and each chose a goal we wanted to work on. Caleb decided he wanted to read 10 books a month and have at least 5 of those be chapter books (if there was ever any doubt that he is my child that should silence them!).

So sorry for the lame picture but I had good intentions behind it!

Phew! These months go by fast when you have a deadline! I can't wait for this month's challenge and you picked some good ones Sarah!

Here's what she picked for next month:

1. Something priceless

2. Something or someone lucky

3. A spring flower

4. A photo with a long exposure

5. Something filthy

I can't wait!

Wednesday's update on Saturday...

I know, I know. 

I keep changing things but I promise I am done now.

At least for a little while.

This week:

1. I went to Portland for a technology conference and I got to go out to eat at some wonderful places (Sorry Davolt's! I didn't have car of my own so I couldn't swing by but I thought of you while I was strolling through the isles of IKEA) I ate at the Portland City Grill, Kell's, Bartini, and O'Henry's. Loved them all and I now have the love handles to prove it! 

2. Owen had his first pie social and he thought he was the bee's knees because we were finally going to something as a family to his school.

3. We had a great dinner with the family out at Mom and Dad's and I finally met their two neighbors that we had all referred to as The Clampetts(long story) but we had some interesting conversations about tye dye baby showers and black and white baby rooms. 

4. Book 4 is turning out to be just ok and I am able to do other things while reading it - Phew!

5. The house has been insulated and is now in the stages of being sheet rocked. Sweet. The siding is all done now also.

Mark is starting to work on the front porch.

I'm going to be able to have a huge Christmas tree!

Mark and I along with our friends went down to the property today and the sheet rockers were working. They were starting with the ceilings.

This is looking into the dining room:

Kitchen:

I'm a little out of order. Here's a picture of the truck delivering the sheet rock on Friday.

Mark is done with the back porch until the gas people come and inspect it (We have a line for a BBQ there). Then he will be able to lay down the last board. 

He also needs to finish trimming the front.

We have our first door in. It is nice to have that one since it helps block all the nasty wind we have been having lately.

With all the wind, we have also had some rain. Rain around our place means mud right now and Mark has been so good about going and sweeping on his days off.

I love the look of construction, don't you?

It's pretty cool to see things from the beginning. 

Everyone keeps telling us that things will slow down here pretty soon. I explain to them that's because Mark and I will soon be having to paint. Once the sheet rock is done, taped and textured, it's our turn! 

On another note, the other day when Mark was at D & B, he noticed a sign on the bulletin board advertising that they needed pasture for their horses. The sign stated that they would pay for fencing in return for their rent on the pasture. Mark and I talked it over and then he went ahead and called. He visited with a lady who has a lot of horses and needs more pasture for 3 of them. She was very excited about our place and was going to come down and see it this weekend. Mark mentioned that I would like to have horses and enjoyed riding and she loved the idea of the boys and I exercising her horses whenever we wanted to. 

To recap: We have someone interested in paying for the fencing around our pasture, put 3 horses on it, allow us to ride them whenever we want, and pay for the feed themselves along with any vet bills. 

We'll see what happens but I'm secretly really hoping it will work out!

Every extra minute

For those of you who know my husband Mark, you know that his favorite hobby is hunting.

It's not just his hobby, it's his passion. He loves it and thinks about it and plans for it and dreams of it all year long. He loves to hunt anything and everything. My house is filled with hunting magazines, hunting paraphernalia, hunting maps and of course...guns, bows, and arrows. 

I love that Mark has this hobby though because it allows me time to have my hobbies as well. 

I have several but I would say my main ones are (in order of least to greatest importance to me) as follows:

Blogging

Organizing

Cooking/Baking

Photography

Reading

Reading

Reading

I love doing all of those things but reading is my all-time favorite. 

I love it more than all the others combined.

I am, and always will be, a book nerd. 

Now I can usually moderate this hobby with my other ones so that it doesn't always take center stage. 

However, every once in a while a book will come along that consumes me. 

I dwell on it and it becomes my obsession.

I am in such a need for a fix of that book that as long as I have a free hand to hold the book, I will read it. 

While I blow dry my hair, brush my teeth, eat my breakfast, pack the boys's lunches, kiss Mark good bye, I will read it.

It will take over my life and ever other hobby becomes forgotten. 

Now this is usually ok because I will finish the book either that day or at the latest the next evening. But this last week I have had a serious problem. Not only was I super busy but I started a book that is the beginning of a series. 

A series that contains 5 books.

A series that contains 5 books with the average length of them being 1,000+ pages.

A series that isn't done yet! Aurgh!

I have forgotten all about blogging, only organized my pillows so they could better prop me up while I read, forced Mark to bake some cookies this week because I couldn't do them with one hand, and I haven't taken a single picture.

In fact, I am almost embarrassed to tell you that the only reason I am blogging right now is because my Kindle is completely dead and refusing to work until I do this little thing called charge it. 

So what book am I totally obsessing over?

This one:

Not much to look and it's not a book for everyone, that's for sure. 

If you don't like Lord of the Rings, you probably won't like this book. 

I could write a whole book review of it but so many other people have that I won't bother. 

I will just say this - it has gripped me and it  won't let go. 

I am currently on book 4 and until I finish book 5 my life will not go back to normal...

Then I can start obsessing about when the next two will be coming out.

A romantic tale...

Before I begin to speak on the big L word (it is Valentine's Day after all) I have something to confess. 

I went a little crazy the other day and changed things all around on my blog and when I went in later to create a new post I found out that I had inadvertently locked myself out. 

Meaning that I didn't know how to log in anymore. The login place was normally located in the upper right hand corner of my old blog and that was no longer the case. 

I am pleased to tell you, I figured it out.

You probably already knew that since you are now reading what I wrote but sometimes I feel the need to pat myself on the back.

Now was one of those times. 

Moving on...It is Valentine's Day and Mark and I along with the boys are enjoying a night at home.

Peace and quiet with a little laundry thrown in.

I love it.

But I had romance on my mind. I was sitting here thinking about all the things Mark has done in the past that I found romantic. Some were the typical flowers and thoughtful cards type. Some were the hot bubble baths with rose petals type. Others were more tailor made just for me - a bag of cashews, 3 miniature pumpkins, a book I was wanting. 

I love the romance that you see in the movies. The big gestures and the little ones. But my all-time favorite romantical moves are the ones that are unique - ones that others might not think of as romantic at all.

Let me give you an example.

One of the most romantic things that Mark has ever done for me occurred when he and I went to the movies. 

I have mentioned a time or two how much I love the Lord of the Rings movies and this was when the 3rd movie was just released. The theater was packed. There were maybe 5 empty seats in the whole theater and I was so excited I could hardly stand myself. 

Finally the lights dimmed and the movie began. It was so great! I remember looking at Mark and squeezing his arm because I was so happy. The movie was very quiet  for the first several minutes and my happiness was starting to be a little less complete because 2 teenage girls in front of us wouldn't stop talking.How could they be talking during the best movie ever? I let it go for a while (maybe 3 minutes) and then I politely tapped one of them on the shoulder and said "Could you please stop talking now that the movie has started?"

She gave me a "whatever" look, tossed her hair over her shoulder and continued to visit with her friend. I  looked at Mark helplessly and shrugged my shoulders. Confrontation is not my style and I had just resolved myself to watching the movie through their chatter. 

Mark looked at me and then looked at them still talking. Then he pulled back one of his legs and kicked the snobby girls chair so hard that she was flung forward in her seat. He kicked it a couple of times to make sure she got the message and then he smiled at me and put his arm around my shoulders. 

Snobby girl didn't make another peep for the next 3 hours. 

I have never felt so loved.

I can still see her hair flipping forward as her body was pitched forward (and I have to giggle). I was both appalled at what Mark had done and also secretly pleased.

That is an example of romance in my book but it might not be in yours! Especially if you're the girl whose chair Mark kicked...

Inside and Out!

This was a big week at the house!

So much stuff changed and so many people were there coming and going.

At one point we had Kevin and his crew, Justin the plumber, Jeff the electrician, the guy from Noland doors, Jeff our cabinet man and a crew roofing.

Plus Mark and Owen working on the back deck.

That's a busy day at our place!

Here's what we have though:

All the plumbing is done but on Monday Justin will come back and test all the lines. Then he won't be back until it's time to install everything.

The platform for the tub in the master bedroom has been built:

The lights and wiring have been started:

The fireplace area has been walled in and it's ready to go:

The frames have been built for the pocket doors leading to Mark's den:

The boys now have a bathtub:

Mark worked faithfully on his project all week.

(Do I even need to tell you that he loved every minute of it? 

I thought not!)

The roof is completely done now and the majority of the siding.

Here's the back view:

The boy's side:

And the front:

Lots of changes in just one short week and lots of decisions that had to be made (Where do you want the lights in the hallway? What kind of lighting are you wanting to read by? Do you want a TV in the kitchen - um yeah! - and if you do what side of the kitchen would you like it on?)

I love making the decisions but a lot of them are about things that I have honestly never even thought about. I often just ask the electrician/plumber/roofer/builder/excavator/cabinet maker what their opinion is and what the benefits of one option over the other is and then go from there.

I can't wait to see what next week brings!

Mustache Outtakes

You know what I love that I never knew I loved?

Mustaches on my children.

Who knew?

I love how 1.99 worth of materials, some scissors, and a camera pointed in their direction provided hours of entertainment for the boys.

(Plus hours of entertainment for their future wives some day! I can't wait!)

Owen first: This is what I get when I ask him to make cowboy faces.

Caleb's cowboy faces: 

Then the silliness spread...

Maybe next time I'll post the ones of me wearing the fake mustache...

Super Bowl Sinfullness

Sinfullness. 

Full of sin + some -ness.

That describes how I feel after inhaling Super Bowl food. 

I love the Super Bowl. 

The anticipation of the two teams, the level of play, the player stories, 

and of course - the commercials (although some are a little risky I must say for my boys to be watching). 

But what I love most, hands down, is the food.

What does that say about me I wonder...

Normally, we are at some kind of Super Bowl party and have skads of things to choose from. 

This year, since we have been so busy, we decided to just chill at home so I could enjoy the game as well as get some chores done (the dust bunnies were starting to growl and the laundry was breeding like, well, bunnies). 

I decided to go ahead and make some of my favorite fast Super Bowl foods. 

Taco Dip (using my friend Kylee's recipe - loved it since college!).

Chocolate Fruit Dip.

Sweet and Sour Meat-a-balls.

Tequila and Lime Chicken Wings.

Bacon-Wrapped Lil Smokies (with brown sugar on top - YUM!)

Plus some good old-fashioned Cheese and Bacon dip.

And last but not least, my favorite kind of fast and easy pie.

Gotta love the Super Bowl!

(and the food ...and the commercials...oh yeah - and the game too!)

Photography Class

I have always loved and admired great photographers. The ones that can capture a moment so precisely that you feel you are right there with them. Or the ones that make you stop and look and then come back and look some more. 

I love the sweet babies and the laughing siblings.

I love the close-ups as well as the wide-angle. 

I love the serious moments and the silly ones. 

After Caleb was born, Mark and I invested in a very nice 35mm Canon. We bought a few lenses and played around with it some but not much.

When the new digital cameras came out, we purchased a little point and shoot and we liked the results but I knew something was missing.

Finally, a few years ago, Mark sold his motorcycle and purchased a gun and I purchased a camera. Albeit it was a used Canon Rebel xti body but I did buy a few new lenses to go with it. I loved it right away but I have never been able to make it work "magic". 

Everyone once in a while I could take a good picture but I was still very frustrated by my lack of knowing exactly what the camera could do. 

Books weren't helping me, I certainly wasn't helping myself, so I decided this was the year. No more excuses - it was time, past time in fact, to take some classes. 

It has been tricky. I have class Tuesday nights from 6-8 and Mark works every other one of those so half the time I take the boys with me. They play with i-touches or watch a movie on my laptop and they have also been models for us to shoot at times. 

I have found that while some things are very easy for me to understand, like what the f-stop does, and how a faster shutter speed works and the purpose of different settings for the white balance, I am still working hard at getting all those things to work together. 

It's like learning a new language I tell you!

While I am working at it, our instructor has us do different assignments throughout the week to practice skills.

We have practiced shooting at night:

We have practiced using the f-stop to create depth of field:

We have practiced staying in one place and just adjusting the dial on your shutter speed by one increment each shot in order to see how the light changes:

We have also practiced composing shots under different themes. This last week's theme was Time. You could take pictures of anything you could think of under that title. Most of my class took pictures of clocks (the suggestion in the homework paper) and some of those turned out pretty nice. Two people took pictures of the sky - one at daybreak, the other at sunset. I was going to do something with the date and the boys but I hadn't fully worked it out in my head. Then I drove past the cemetery in town and thought aha! 

One other thing that we have worked on is not automatically deleting photos that we think didn't turn out perfect. This is a hard one for me because I am striving for perfect - perfectly crisp, perfectly clear, perfectly interesting.

But I do like this one of Caleb. 

The lightening was very low, right at dusk, and the lens I was shooting with doesn't open very wide so not enough light was reaching my sensor. 

The result was grainy, a little blurry, and not really interesting but for some reason I like it.

I really do.

Our next photo assignment is to choose a color and be prepared to share 20 photos focusing on that color. We have two weeks for this one since our instructor took a vacation to Aspen. I was going to go with red or orange since they are my favorite colors but then I changed my mind. I think I am going to shoot my least favorite color instead. 

White.

We'll see how it goes!